The True Meaning of Celibacy

Bangalore, India

Questions & Answers

Gurudev, it is said that Shankaracharya had experienced the pleasures of life by entering into the body of a king. How then could he be considered celibate? Is celibacy (Brahmacharya) of the body or of the mind?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

It is of consciousness; the quality of consciousness is celibacy.Brahma means infinity, and charya means to move. Moving into the infinity is Brahmacharya (celibacy). Identifying with the infinity is really what Brahmacharya is. It is a happening; it happens. That means, you don't find any big pleasure in a physical act to experience the joy because the joy is already there.

Any physical act is done to experience some joy, but if the joy is already there, then why bother with the act. That is what celibacy is.

Body has its cycle. It goes through cycles. Consciousness not getting involved in it is the real skill.

Gurudev, in the yajnas, the Rishis were invoked. What is the exact process? How come the people who existed so long ago still exist today?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You know consciousness never dies; the mind never dies! Nothing ever dies. It only changes form. Matter can neither be created nor destroyed. So is the same with energy.

In the consciousness, the Rishi energies are present.

It is like, you have all moods within you, and when you are acting in a movie or in a play, you create those moods. An actor creates different moods at different times. He shows anger, he shows fierceness, valor, or fear. So we can manifest all these emotions; we can act them out at any time.

The mind expresses its moods, though all the moods are within itself. At will it can express any of it at anytime. In the same way, in the higher consciousness, there are different impulses which indicate different abilities and qualities of consciousness. And they can be manifested by invoking.

Gurudev, what is the significance of offering ghee in the flames of yajnas?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Ghee is basically oil, clarified butter! The final product of milk. I have not heard anybody offering oil in the yajnas. (Laughter)

There are different kinds of engines. Some require petrol, some require diesel. Similarly I think the yajnas tune in only to ghee and not to oil.

Someone should take it as a research, what happens when we put ghee in the fire. Someone can analyze, when ghee is put in the fire and it evaporates, what type of gas does it produce. It will be interesting to know. Some reason must be there why only ghee is used.

Also, a particular type of wood is used, and not any wood. The wood they use is called Samit, taken from the Peepal tree. The sticks from the Peepal tree is what is used in havan (fire ceremony). So we should see, what type of reaction or vibration is produced from the combination of wood from the Peepal tree and ghee. It could be a good thesis for someone to do. Someone from a chemical engineering background may find out.

Gurudev, what exactly happens to you when you go into bhaav?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

I don’t know! That is all I can say.

Gurudev, people accuse me for a sin which I have not done. What should I do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

If you have not done and people think you have done it, then educate them. But if you have done it, then without denying it, accept it.